Re: Bill's reply to "Corky" Sailing Inner Tube...
Bill wrote"
innertubes and other unlikely "boats". None of them had a leeboard or
centerboard or keel, which "Corky" also seems to lack, and all were strictly
downwind "capable".
Bill, this is about what I thought would be the best that could be expected . I don't know if arms or
legs could be used as "leeboards" enough to sail a beam, but I would doubt it. It should still provide
the kids a lot of enjoyment.
of scrap 2X4's, I never contrived a proper rudder and relied on a canoe
paddle for all underwater functions, as well as propulsion upwind. To be
sure, I had a great deal of fun and sense of accomplishment from my endeavors, (not to mention
being out of my mother's hair for extended periods
of time, which she surely must have appreciated), but I was working in
isolation (i.e. no peers with better "boats" to show me up) and probably
would have been unhappy and frustrated if I had to compare my efforts to
those of someone more accomplished."
You conjure up a lot of memories for me. We too tried to knock together numerous "boats" over the
years. Cattle troughs would be better descriptions of them. :) I don't think we ever got any to float for
long. I did whittle a lot of "boats" out of pine bark and have wonderful imaginary trips down the
"rivers" which formed in the runoff from summer showers.
I wish I had started boat building earlier...now I'll never have enough years left to build all I'd like to
do. :)
will be plenty of water for us...and perhaps the mosquitos as well.
Jim
>"Dead downwind only, as far as I can judge. Haven't seen or used a "Corky" butas a child I fabricated a variety of sailing rigs and arrangements for
innertubes and other unlikely "boats". None of them had a leeboard or
centerboard or keel, which "Corky" also seems to lack, and all were strictly
downwind "capable".
Bill, this is about what I thought would be the best that could be expected . I don't know if arms or
legs could be used as "leeboards" enough to sail a beam, but I would doubt it. It should still provide
the kids a lot of enjoyment.
>"To be sure, I didn't expect anything more from mycreations and my sails were remnants of discarded bedsheets attached to yards
of scrap 2X4's, I never contrived a proper rudder and relied on a canoe
paddle for all underwater functions, as well as propulsion upwind. To be
sure, I had a great deal of fun and sense of accomplishment from my endeavors, (not to mention
being out of my mother's hair for extended periods
of time, which she surely must have appreciated), but I was working in
isolation (i.e. no peers with better "boats" to show me up) and probably
would have been unhappy and frustrated if I had to compare my efforts to
those of someone more accomplished."
You conjure up a lot of memories for me. We too tried to knock together numerous "boats" over the
years. Cattle troughs would be better descriptions of them. :) I don't think we ever got any to float for
long. I did whittle a lot of "boats" out of pine bark and have wonderful imaginary trips down the
"rivers" which formed in the runoff from summer showers.
I wish I had started boat building earlier...now I'll never have enough years left to build all I'd like to
do. :)
>"No Summer this year in MN,"Sorry about that. Come on down to GA...we'll have plenty of summer, and so far it looks as if there
will be plenty of water for us...and perhaps the mosquitos as well.
Jim